Women recognized for diverse impacts
Earlier this month Westfair Communications Inc. recognized nearly 50 women making an impact in Fairfield and Westchester counties.
Inspired by the recent documentary “Makers: Women Who Make America,” which follows the women”™s movement of the past 50 years, Westfair Communications recognized 43 women chosen by the publisher”™s readership, as well as the contributions of six outstanding nominees selected by Westfair staff.
Westfair representatives said all women deserve recognition for the work they do, whether it”™s how they”™ve affected their families, offices or greater community. The women awarded spanned many industries and ranged from 17 years old to older than 75.
- Nancy Armstrong, a founding team member of the documentary “Makers: Women Who Make America,” addresses awardees in White Plains. Photo by Bob Rozycki.
“Every day, everywhere, women make an impact; we just don”™t hear about it,” said Dee DelBello, publisher of Westfair Communications. “They fought for their own freedom and the freedom of women around the world, and yet, little mention of it.”
“In fact,” DelBello added, “As one writer said, ”˜if it was mentioned, it was usually a footnote to the footnote.”™ Happily those days have changed, especially in our country and women are being recognized.”
Some 300 people attended the event, which was held at 1133 Westchester Ave. in White Plains.
The women who received special recognition by organizers included Carol Bauer, chaplain of Norwalk Hospital; Cindi Bigelow, CEO of Bigelow Tea; Elizabeth Bracken-Thompson, a partner at Thompson & Bender; Kimberly Cline, president of Long Island University; Peyton Patterson, CEO of Bankwell Financial Group; and Karen Ress, vice president of international brands at Nestle Waters North America.
At the event, Nancy Armstrong, a Web producer and brainchild behind the “Makers” documentary, said it was especially important to support women leaders in order to inspire young girls to become leaders themselves.
Armstrong, a Greenwich resident, said she grew up in a “relative vacuum of women role models” at a time when her mother”™s generation was expected to be completely fulfilled as housewives.
“I knew I wanted more,” Armstrong said. “I just didn”™t know what.”
A producer, actress and publicist, Armstrong now has three kids, including two girls, who she said are growing up in a new age.
“They”™re growing up with the complete feeling they can do whatever they want,” Armstrong said. “Women can do anything that a man can and girls can see a leader in any sector.”
The “Makers” documentary, featuring interviews with dozens of celebrities, women activists and politicians, made its PBS debut in February and currently has a digital platform on AOL.com showcasing thousands of other groundbreaking women.
AOL, led by Armstrong”™s husband, Tim, was a key supporter of the project and supplied some of the film”™s archived footage.
Many of the women accepting awards mentioned both their work accomplishments and families, saying they look forward to the day their daughters won”™t be asked what it”™s like to be the first woman CEO or first woman president. Today, less than 17 percent of corporate board positions are held by women and only 8 percent of the top earners in the country are women.
“We”™ve begun resetting the agenda, but without an active focus on the issue, we”™ll become stagnant,” Armstrong said. “There”™s quite a bit of work to do.”